Barley Hall

A little gem of a Medieval town house is  tucked away down Coffee Yard between Stonegate and Grape Lane. This house has had quite a remarkable past and a few years ago came close to being demolished. It was once the home of the Priors of Nostell and the Mayor of York. Until the 1980's the house was hidden under the relatively modern facade of a derelict office block. It was only when the building was going to be destroyed that the medieval house (pictured right) was discovered behind all the old walls. The reconstruction of Barley Hall was the direct result of archaeological excavations carried out in 1987 and 1990 - 1991. Work began to restore the hall to its former glory in 1990. It opened to the public in 1993. 

Today the house has been fully restored to its original grandeur, plenty of huge oak beams, very high ceilings and possibly the only Horn window in England. The house has been decorated to replicate the home of William Snawsell who was the Lord Mayor of York in 1468. The Snawsell family lived here around 1483 when Richard 111 was king of England. There are many rooms to visit amongst the three floors including the Great Hall laid out as it would have been in those early days, with tressled tables and wooden dishes and tumblers. Members of the public are encouraged to sit on the chairs and benches and touch the artefacts on show, The house is owned by the York Archaeological Trust and named after the trusts first chairman, Professor Maurice Barley.